Most data-informed decision-making in education is undermined by flawed interpretations. Educator-driven interventions to improve data use are beneficial but not omnipotent, as data misunderstandings persist at schools and school districts commended for ideal data use support. Meanwhile, most data systems and reports display figures without…

In recent years, the use of data to inform instructional decision making has become a particularly prominent facet of K-12 educators' professional practice. However, research estimates limited opportunities for preservice teachers to learn how to use data, including standardized test data, for such purposes. In response, this article describes the…

Although data-based decision making can lead to improved student achievement, data are often not used effectively in schools. This paper therefore focuses on conditions for effective data use. We studied the extent to which school organizational characteristics, data characteristics, user characteristics, and collaboration influenced data use for…

The use of data to inform instructional and educational decisions is an increasingly important facet of teachers' professional practice. However, little is presently known about the best teacher learning mechanisms by which to promote data use. This study (N = 329) examined the nature and distribution of both Illinois public teacher data use…

In the quest to improve measured educational outcomes national governments across the The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and beyond have instituted large-scale assessment (LSA) policies in their public schools. Controversy almost universally follows the implementation of such testing, related to such topics as: a)…

Business Intelligence is a major expenditure in many organizations and necessary for competitive advantage. These expenditures do not result in maximum benefits for the organization if the information obtained from the Business Intelligence System (BIS) is not used in the management decision-making process. This quantitative research study used an…

Purpose: Whilst beneficial, the use of evidence to improve teaching and learning in schools is proving difficult to achieve in practice. The purpose of this paper is to shed new light on this issue by examining the applicability of a model of rational behaviour as relates to the notion of evidence-informed practice (EIP). Specifically, exploring…

Signed into Law on January 8, 2002, the 1,180 page No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) shifted the course of public education in America. For the first time accountability was firmly placed at the center of school operations by requiring a systematic approach to achieving reform and improving all areas of school life (Wanker & Christie, 2005). As…

There is a growing expectation that schools should systematically collect and analyse data as a point of departure for decisions. However, research shows that teachers themselves are less convinced that they need to base their decisions on data, as they mainly rely on their intuition and experience. This article examines the extent to which…

Previous studies on the impact of perceived threat on confirmatory information search (selective exposure) in the context of decision making have yielded mixed results. Some studies have suggested that confirmatory information search is reduced, yet others have found contradictory effects. The present series of 5 studies consistently found that…

Data and information needs of college administrators are discussed, along with the uses of information to support decisionmaking. Difficulties in applying information technology to the administration of higher education are briefly reviewed. Data and information are discussed both in definitional and functional terms. Data are defined as either…

THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF FOUR VARIABLES ON TEACHER SELECTION DECISIONS IN RELATION TO THE CONSISTENCY OF THE DECISIONS, THE FINENESS OF THE DISCRIMINATIONS MADE, THE TIME NEEDED TO MAKE THE DECISIONS, AND THE CONFIDENCE THAT THE DECISIONMAKER HAD IN HIS DECISIONS. THE FOUR VARIABLES WERE (1) AMOUNT OF…

An alternative sociology course is described that links student computer skills with available social survey data. The students, at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, have primarily technical and scientific interests, and the goal of the sociology courses offered is to promote awareness of the social world they will live and work in. Students are…

Information reporting at traditionally black colleges and universities was reviewed, based on the Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS) files for 36 institutions. The objective was to determine the quality of the data submitted by seven of these institutions, and to suggest actions for improving the quality of the HEGIS information…

This study examines the relative effects of information on problem solving. An introductory section discusses theoretical approaches to problem solving. The major portion of the paper describes the author's research. In her study, subjects were asked to read a court transcript from a criminal case, to give their verdict in the case, and to…